Bone tissue clamp

Abstract

Systems, methods, and kits incorporate a fusion member for vertebral processes. The fusion member may be unitary or modular. The fusion member comprises extensions configured to be crimped to vertebral processes. The extensions may comprise tabs configured to be deformed to further penetrate the vertebral processes. The tabs may also lock together modular components of the fusion member. The fusion member may comprise fasteners extending between the extensions. The fusion member may comprise a cage with a movable cover or a graft retention feature.

1 . An H-shaped fusion system comprising:
 a cage forming a cross bar of the H-shape, wherein the cage comprises a first opening extending from a first open end of the cage to a second open end of the cage opposite the first open end;   first and second plates projecting from the cage, the first and second plates forming a pair of ascending legs of the H-shape;   third and fourth plates projecting from the cage, the third and fourth plates forming a pair of descending legs of the H-shape; and   a movable first cover over the first open end of the cage;   wherein, when a first spinous process is received between the first and second plates and a second spinous process is received between the third and fourth plates, the first opening extends in an anterior-posterior direction.   
     
     
         2 - 31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . An H-shaped fusion system comprising:
 a central portion forming a crossbar of the H-shape;   first and second plates projecting from the central portion, the first and second plates forming a pair of ascending legs of the H-shape, said first plate oriented in a first longitudinal plane and said second plate oriented in a second longitudinal plane;   third and fourth plates projecting from the central portion, the third and fourth plates forming a pair of descending legs of the H-shape, said third plate oriented in a third longitudinal plane and said fourth plate oriented in a fourth longitudinal plane;   first gripping member for securing the first plate to a first spinous process, said first gripping member being oriented substantially in a plane displaceable relative to the first longitudinal plane;   second gripping member for securing the second plate to the first spinous process;   third gripping member for securing the third plate to a second spinous process; and   fourth gripping member for securing the fourth plate to the second spinous process.   
     
     
         33 . The fusion system of  claim 32 , wherein said second gripping member is oriented substantially in a plane displaceable relative to the second longitudinal plane. 
     
     
         34 . The fusion system of  claim 33 , wherein said third gripping member is oriented substantially in a plane displaceable relative to the third longitudinal plane. 
     
     
         35 . The fusion system of  claim 34 , wherein said fourth gripping member is oriented substantially in a plane displaceable relative to the fourth longitudinal plane. 
     
     
         36 . The fusion system of  claim 32 , wherein said first longitudinal plane and said second longitudinal plane are substantially parallel. 
     
     
         37 . The fusion system of  claim 36 , wherein said third longitudinal plane and said fourth longitudinal plane are substantially parallel. 
     
     
         38 . The fusion system of  claim 32 , wherein said first, second, third and fourth longitudinal planes are substantially parallel. 
     
     
         39 . The fusion system of  claim 32 , wherein said first longitudinal plane and said third longitudinal plane are substantially co-planar. 
     
     
         40 . The fusion system of  claim 39 , wherein said second longitudinal plane and said fourth longitudinal plane are substantially co-planar. 
     
     
         41 . An H-shaped fusion system comprising:
 a central portion forming a crossbar of the H-shape;   first and second plates projecting from the central portion, the first and second plates forming a pair of ascending legs of the H-shape, said first plate oriented in a first longitudinal plane and said second plate oriented in a second longitudinal plane;   third and fourth plates projecting from the central portion, the third and fourth plates forming a pair of descending legs of the H-shape, said third plate oriented in a third longitudinal plane and said fourth plate oriented in a fourth longitudinal plane;   first means for securing the first plate to a first spinous process, said first means being oriented substantially in a plane displaceable relative to the first longitudinal plane;   second means for securing the second plate to the first spinous process, said second means being oriented substantially in a plane displaceable relative to the second longitudinal plane;   third means for securing the third plate to a second spinous process; and   fourth means for securing the fourth plate to the second spinous process.   
     
     
         42 . The fusion system of  claim 41 , wherein said third means is oriented substantially in a plane displaceable relative to the third longitudinal plane. 
     
     
         43 . The fusion system of  claim 42 , wherein said fourth means is oriented substantially in a plane displaceable relative to the fourth longitudinal plane. 
     
     
         44 . The fusion system of  claim 41 , wherein said first longitudinal plane and said second longitudinal plane are substantially parallel. 
     
     
         45 . The fusion system of  claim 44 , wherein said third longitudinal plane and said fourth longitudinal plane are substantially parallel. 
     
     
         46 . The fusion system of  claim 41 , wherein said first, second, third and fourth longitudinal planes are substantially parallel. 
     
     
         47 . The fusion system of  claim 41 , wherein said first longitudinal plane and said third longitudinal plane are substantially co-planar. 
     
     
         48 . The fusion system of  claim 47 , wherein said second longitudinal plane and said fourth longitudinal plane are substantially co-planar. 
     
     
         49 . An H-shaped fusion system comprising:
 a central portion forming a crossbar of the H-shape;   first and second plates projecting from the central portion, the first and second plates forming a pair of ascending legs of the H-shape, said first plate oriented in a first longitudinal plane and said second plate oriented in a second longitudinal plane;   third and fourth plates projecting from the central portion, the third and fourth plates forming a pair of descending legs of the H-shape, said third plate oriented in a third longitudinal plane and said fourth plate oriented in a fourth longitudinal plane;   first means for securing the first plate to a first spinous process, said first means being oriented substantially in a plane displaceable relative to the first longitudinal plane;   second means for securing the second plate to the first spinous process;   third means for securing the third plate to a second spinous process, said third means being oriented substantially in a plane displaceable relative to the third longitudinal plane; and   fourth means for securing the fourth plate to the second spinous process.   
     
     
         50 . The fusion system of  claim 51 , wherein said fourth means is oriented substantially in a plane displaceable relative to the fourth longitudinal plane. 
     
     
         51 . The fusion system of  claim 50 , wherein said first longitudinal plane and said second longitudinal plane are substantially parallel. 
     
     
         52 . The fusion system of  claim 51 , wherein said third longitudinal plane and said fourth longitudinal plane are substantially parallel. 
     
     
         53 . The fusion system of  claim 52 , wherein said first, second, third and fourth longitudinal planes are substantially parallel. 
     
     
         54 . The fusion system of  claim 49 , wherein said first longitudinal plane and said third longitudinal plane are substantially co-planar. 
     
     
         55 . The fusion system of  claim 54 , wherein said second longitudinal plane and said fourth longitudinal plane are substantially co-planar. 
     
     
         56 . An H-shaped fusion system comprising:
 a central portion forming a crossbar of the H-shape;   first and second plates projecting from the central portion, the first and second plates forming a pair of ascending legs of the H-shape, said first plate oriented in a first longitudinal plane and said second plate oriented in a second longitudinal plane;   third and fourth plates projecting from the central portion, the third and fourth plates forming a pair of descending legs of the H-shape, said third plate oriented in a third longitudinal plane and said fourth plate oriented in a fourth longitudinal plane;   first means for securing the first plate to a first spinous process, said first means being oriented substantially in a plane displaceable relative to the first longitudinal plane;   second means for securing the second plate to the first spinous process, said second means being oriented substantially in a plane displaceable relative to the second longitudinal plane;   third means for securing the third plate to a second spinous process, said third means being oriented substantially in a plane displaceable relative to the third longitudinal plane; and   fourth means for securing the fourth plate to the second spinous process, said fourth means being oriented substantially in a plane displaceable relative to the fourth longitudinal plane.   
     
     
         57 . The fusion system of  claim 56 , wherein said first longitudinal plane and said second longitudinal plane are substantially parallel. 
     
     
         58 . The fusion system of  claim 57 , wherein said third longitudinal plane and said fourth longitudinal plane are substantially parallel. 
     
     
         59 . The fusion system of  claim 56 , wherein said first, second, third and fourth longitudinal planes are substantially parallel. 
     
     
         60 . The fusion system of  claim 56 , wherein said first longitudinal plane and said third longitudinal plane are substantially co-planar. 
     
     
         61 . The fusion system of  claim 60 , wherein said second longitudinal plane and said fourth longitudinal plane are substantially co-planar. 
     
     
         62 . An H-shaped fusion system comprising:
 a central portion forming a crossbar of the H-shape;   first and second plates projecting from the central portion, the first and second plates forming a pair of ascending legs of the H-shape, said first plate oriented in a first longitudinal plane and said second plate oriented in a second longitudinal plane;   third and fourth plates projecting from the central portion, the third and fourth plates forming a pair of descending legs of the H-shape, said third plate oriented in a third longitudinal plane and said fourth plate oriented in a fourth longitudinal plane;   first means for securing the first plate to a first spinous process, said first means being oriented substantially in a plane displaceable relative to the first longitudinal plane;   second means for securing the second plate to the first spinous process;   third means for securing the third plate to a second spinous process, said third means being oriented substantially in a plane displaceable relative to the third longitudinal plane; and   fourth means for securing the fourth plate to the second spinous process.   
     
     
         63 . The fusion system of  claim 62 , wherein said second means is oriented substantially in a plane displaceable relative to the second longitudinal plane. 
     
     
         64 . The fusion system of  claim 62 , wherein said fourth means is oriented substantially in a plane displaceable relative to the fourth longitudinal plane. 
     
     
         65 . The fusion system of  claim 62 , wherein said first longitudinal plane and said second longitudinal plane are substantially parallel. 
     
     
         66 . The fusion system of  claim 62 , wherein said third longitudinal plane and said fourth longitudinal plane are substantially parallel. 
     
     
         67 . The fusion system of  claim 62 , wherein said first, second, third and fourth longitudinal planes are substantially parallel. 
     
     
         68 . The fusion system of  claim 62 , wherein said first longitudinal plane and said third longitudinal plane are substantially co-planar. 
     
     
         69 . The fusion system of  claim 63 , wherein said second longitudinal plane and said fourth longitudinal plane are substantially co-planar. 
     
     
         70 . An H-shaped fusion system comprising:
 a central portion forming a crossbar of the H-shape;   first and second plates projecting from the central portion, the first and second plates forming a pair of ascending legs of the H-shape, said first plate oriented in a first longitudinal plane and said second plate oriented in a second longitudinal plane;   third and fourth plates projecting from the central portion, the third and fourth plates forming a pair of descending legs of the H-shape, said third plate oriented in a third longitudinal plane and said fourth plate oriented in a fourth longitudinal plane;   first means for securing the first plate to a first spinous process, said first means being oriented substantially in a plane displaceable relative to the first longitudinal plane;   second means for securing the second plate to the first spinous process;   third means for securing the third plate to a second spinous process, said third means being oriented substantially in a plane displaceable relative to the third longitudinal plane; and   fourth means for securing the fourth plate to the second spinous process,   wherein said first longitudinal plane and said third longitudinal plane are substantially co-planar and said second longitudinal plane and said fourth longitudinal plane are substantially co-planar.   
     
     
         71 . The fusion system of  claim 70 , wherein said first, second, third and fourth longitudinal planes are substantially parallel.